Bhubaneswar: A review meeting was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan to ensure the smooth and orderly conduct of the ‘Maha Shivaratri’ (Jagara) at Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing officials, temple authorities, and sevayats (servitors), Minister Harichandan said that festivals like the Jagara Yatra are successful only through coordinated efforts involving sevayats, government employees, district and police administration, municipal authorities, fire services, and the media. He stressed that the event, from the orderly darshan of devotees to the culmination of the Mahadeep (lamp) procession, should follow traditional rituals while ensuring safety and discipline.
The Minister also directed strict action against fake pass holders and anyone attempting to disrupt the celebrations. He highlighted the significance of the festival, which attracts Lord Shiva devotees not only from Odisha but also from across the country and abroad.
During the meeting, detailed planning was carried out for temple premises cleanliness, lighting, barricading, parking, drinking water and fragrance facilities, shading and ventilation for devotees, fire safety, crowd and traffic management, decoration of the temple and surrounding areas, control room and CCTV arrangements, and effective dissemination of information through the media.
The meeting was attended by Ekamra Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Mayor Sulochana Das, Law Department Principal Secretary Dr. Pabitra Mohan Samal, Endowment Commissioner Lalatendu Jena, Additional Commissioner of Police Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Narasingha Bhol, Khordha District Collector Amrit Ruturaj, Additional District Collector Ramesh Kumar Jena, Additional Law Department Secretary Siba Prasad Mohapatra, along with temple officials, sevayats, and representatives from the Archaeological Survey of India, Works Department, Information and Public Relations Department, TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL), WATCO, Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), and Capital Hospital.
